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Last updated on Friday, May 25, 2012
(UNDATED) - The surrounding area is celebrating Memorial Day and honoring those that have fought for our freedom.
The following is a list of those activities:
• Lawrence County Councilman Mark Mathis is inviting citizens to celebrate Memorial Day on the downtown square. This year's theme is "Lest We Forget." The keynote speakers are Don Sharer and Lee Hutchinson. Sharer, is a navy veteran once imprisoned in Iran. Hutchinson, an educator and author, was a member of the 490th bomb group of the Eighth Air Force and served as a radio operator/gunner on 20 combat missions in a B-17 Flying Fortress. Mathis says this year's celebration will include an appearance by civil war re-enactors, a ceremonial cannon that will be fired, the Bedford Fire Department is bringing the ladder truck for children to view, live music including a bluegrass band, the Lawrence County home-school choir, and a few others. Mayor Shawna Girgis will sing the national anthem. Local veterans from the American Legion will be honored, as well as representatives from the Daughters of American Revolution, Sons of American Revolution, Gold Star siblings, and the Soldiers' Angels. The event begins at 11 a.m., admission is free.
• A Memorial Day ceremony is set to take place Monday at 11 a.m. at the flag area in the center of the Mitchell Cemetery. The speaker for the event will be Jonathan George, a retired brigadier general for the United States Air Force, who now lives in Lawrence County. George, who served for five presidents, was a commissioned Air Force officer since 1981. He logged more than 4,000 flying hours and rose to the rank of brigadier general. Veterans' groups will participate in the ceremony, and the public is encouraged to attend.
• At Spring Mill State Park on Saturday and Sunday the Yankees verse the Confederates in Seycamore Field near the Sycamore shelter. The battles begin at 2:30 p.m. Also the Pioneer Village will serve as an encampment for the troops and the village will be up and running with pioneer demonstrations. On Monday, a Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. at Hamer Cemetery.
• In Greene County, Walnut Grove Cemetery will honor the nearly 320 veterans ranging from the Civil War to Desert Storm on Friday at 5 p.m. by placing flags on their graves, according to coordinator Mildred Uland.
• Walnut Grove Church will host Memorial services Sunday at 9 a.m. Bloomfield American Legion Color Guard will present colors at 11:30 a.m. There will be a pitch-in lunch in the Friendship Hall at noon, and service in the church at 1:30 p.m.
• Bloomfield American Legion Color Guard will also be at Tulip Cemetery at 9:15 a.m.; Scotland Cemetery at 10:40 a.m.; and Grandview Cemetery at 1 p.m.
• The Marco Cemetery Memorial Day service will begin at noon Sunday, and will feature three shots from a Civil War canon and flag folding ceremony. The names of each veteran will be called, followed by a 21-gun salute. Susan Romier will sing the National Anthem.
• Solsberry American Legion will visit several cemeteries Sunday starting at Newark Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.; Ridgeport Cemetery at 1 p.m.; Sylvania Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.; Carmichael Cemetery at 2 p.m.; Solsberry Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.; Greene County Chapel at 3 p.m.; Liberty Cemetery Hendricksville at 3:30 p.m.; Solsberry Memorial Park at the firehouse at 4 p.m., and Bingham Cemetery at 4:20 p.m.
• The Indiana Patriot Guard Riders will stop in Worthington on Monday morning to honor fallen soldier Army Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Kimmell, according to Senior Ride Captain Keith Jacks. He expects the estimated arrival time to be around 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the S. Jefferson St. Cemetery, but noted the group has several stops to make on its route starting in Terre Haute. Kimmell, 30, of Paxton, was assigned to 3rd battalion 5th Special Forces Group out of Fort Campbell, Ky. He was killed Oct. 11, 2005 when an IED detonated near his Humvee in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. Jacks said the Patriot Guard Riders annually visit the graves of killed-in-action soldiers whose funerals they had taken part of as part of their mission.
• Dugger American Legion Post No. 224 Color Guard will host a Memorial Day tribute to departed veterans Monday at Mount Moriah Cemetery at 1 p.m. and at the Dugger Cemetery at 2 p.m.
• On Monday, the Greene County Veterans Council will host its traditional Memorial Day service at 3 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. The council will read off the names and ring a bell for each veteran from Greene County who has passed in the last year, followed by a 21-gun salute. Charles S. LaSota, U.S. Navy retired, will serve as the guest speaker for the event.
• Brownstown: American Legion Camp Jackson Post 112 will conduct a service at Fairview Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Sunday with an address by minister Doug Pogue from Brownstown Christian Church.
• Crothersville: Veterans of Foreign Wars Lewis-Schill Post 1083 plans to conduct its annual Memori¬al Day service at 11 a.m. Monday at Crothersville Cemetery. Post Comman¬der Walter Mosley will speak at the event. The post will have free soup and sandwiches afterward.
• Seymour: American Legion Post 89, Seymour, will conduct its Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. Mon¬day at Riverview Ceme¬tery. The Rev. Bruce Cochran of First Baptist Church in Seymour will be the guest speaker.
• Local veteran Michael O'Hara has announced that Brown County will see its first Memorial Day service in more than 50 years this Monday. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the courthouse in downtown Nashville. The public is encouraged to attend. O'Hara said the service will honor the three most recent Brown County soldiers who lost their lives serving the United States of America. He advised those planning to attend to bring a tissue, as the service is expected to be emotionally powerful.
• On Monday, May 28 the Martin County American Legion Post 120 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9395 will pay homage to the veterans of all wars with a visit to the cemeteries listed below. A special ceremony directed to departed comrades will be presented. Everyone is asked to join. Events start at 9 a.m. at Burns City; 9:30 a.m. at St. Joseph; 10 a.m. at St. Mary's; 10:30 a.m. at Goodwill; 11:15 a.m. at St. John's; 12:15 p.m. at St. Martin's; 12:45 p.m. at Truelove and 1:30 p.m. at South Martin.
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